Semi-automatic transmissions are being provided on many vehicles. With a semi-automatic transmission, the driver of the vehicle has control of the transmission by using a shifter with the advantage that the driver does not have to actuate a separate clutch actuator. When the driver actuates the shifter, a signal is sent to a control unit of the transmission which sends signals to cause a clutch connected to the transmission to disengage, to cause the transmission to shift gear once the clutch is disengaged, and to engage the clutch once the transmission has shifted gear. In another type of semi-automatic transmission, when the driver actuates the shifter, a signal is sent to a control unit of the transmission and engine which sends signals to cause the ignition to be cut, thus momentarily reducing engine torque, to cause the transmission to shift gear while ignition is cut, and to resume ignition once the transmission has shifted gear. By electronically controlling these operations, the transmission will consistently be shifted smoothly, which is sometimes not the case when an inexperienced driver has to actuate both a shifter and a clutch actuator in a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission. This also greatly reduces the likelihood of the vehicle stalling because of a failed shifting attempt, which is common when vehicles equipped with manual transmissions are driven by inexperienced drivers.
On vehicles having a handlebar, such as motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the shifter is sometimes provided on the handlebar near one of the handles. This allows a driver of the vehicle to actuate the shifter by using the fingers of the hand used to hold the handle. If the shifter is not properly positioned, the shifter can be difficult to reach, which can lead to the driver's gripping force on the handle being reduced.
In addition, some vehicles are provided with a housing on the handlebar adjacent the handle near which the shifter is provided. This housing has various switches controlling various features of the vehicle such as the horn or flashing signals. If these switches are not properly positioned on the housing, it can lead to some complicated finger gymnastics for a driver trying to actuate these switches without moving his hand too much on the handle. Furthermore, the shifter and the switches need to be arranged relative to each other so as to provide an easy transition from the switches to the shifter, and vice versa, since the same finger will often be used to actuate both the switches and the shifter.
Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle having a shifter and switch arrangement which allow for easy and comfortable actuation of both the shifter and at least one switch.